You have probably heard: Kanye West has created and released an album named “Jesus is King,” which includes overt Christian themes and lyrics. This has caused ripples throughout culture, because after all, what do we do about Kanye becoming a Christian? 
To be fair, this isn’t Kanye’s first time talking about Jesus. Back in 2004 his first mass produced album, “The College Dropout,” included the track “Jesus Walks,” in which he seems to wrestle with living in a sinful world knowing Jesus (“God show me the way because the devil’s tryin’ to break me down,”) and having a complicated relationship with God (“And I don’t think there’s nothing I can do to right my wrongs / I wanna talk to God but I’m afraid because we haven’t spoken in so long…“). But at the end of it, Kanye still ends up with a clear confession of his need for God’s intervention through His Son, “I’m just sayin’ the way that school needs teachers, the way Kathy Lee needed Regis, that’s the way I need Jesus…”
Still, Kanye’s self perception is the thing that seems to get in his own way. From appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone in a crown of thorns, to releasing an album with the awkward title “Yeezus,” which features a track called “I am a God” in which he claims at least casual conversation with Jesus, to awkward award show antics (i.e. telling Taylor Swift that her award should go to Beyonce..and then later telling Beck the same thing years later), Kanye seems to prove the cliche that all sin begins in pride.
And so if Kanye’s sin begins in pride, perhaps it is telling that his new album proclaims someone other than Kanye to be king. It comes on the heels of Kanye’s (re?)Baptism in May in an Armenian church, his attendance at Bible studies studying under a pastor, and his production of what he calls “Sunday Services” which before this album dropped seemed to be a mixture of religiousity and secular jam session.
The biggest question that comes up with Kanye’s new confession of Jesus is simply how long will it last? Is this a life long change for Kanye? Will he fall off the wagon? And if he does, what will that mean? Kanye seems to have anticipated this on his “Hands On” track, which repeats over and over “What are you hearing from the Christians? They’ll be the first ones to judge me.” And while at first blush that seems like disappointing defensiveness, there’s perhaps some truth there for us.
What are we to do about Kanye? We are to rejoice in his Baptism. We are to sing Jesus is King alongside him. But not to adulate Kanye for his conversion. Rather, we are to glorify God. If God is saving Kanye, what do we have to say about that? Nothing but praise. Because God saved us, and I know my sins better than I know Kanye’s sins. So to me, I’m a greater sinner than Kanye, and my salvation is a bigger deal. As far as I’m concerned, God could save 10 Kanyes for every Jay. And that’s why Jesus is my King, as well as Kanye’s.